The present invention generally relates to appliances such as appliances for cooking, washing, and drying and, more particularly, relates to appliance support bases.
Appliances, particularly domestic appliances, are constructed to stand on, or be supported on, an appliance base that typically includes support feet. The support feet are adjustable to level the appliance and support the appliance on a support surface, such as a floor. In general, the appliance base serves as a stable foundation for the appliance and provides structural integrity for the appliance.
Referring to FIG. 1, a known (prior art) appliance base is shown generally at P and includes a sheet metal pan having various openings formed therein for strategic location of fasteners for securing an appliance body (not shown) to the sheet metal pan. The sheet metal pan of the appliance base P is a shallow structure having rolled edges E formed on upstanding wall members that rise from a planer base. A plurality of feet F are attached to the appliance base P and are adjustable to support the appliance base P and the associated appliance disposed on the appliance base in a level arrangement on a support surface such as a floor.
Such pan-type bases are generally adequate for use with appliances, particularly domestic appliances, but there remains room for improvement. The typical pan base is manufactured as a separate component for later assembly with other components of an appliance such as, for example, for later assembly with the sidewalls of an appliance. The typical pan base is difficult to store during the period in which it has not yet been assembled with the other components of an appliance, largely for the reason that pan base does “nest” well with other pan bases—i.e., the pan base typically cannot be compactly and stably arranged in a stacked one on top of another arrangement with other pan bases. Also, the typical pan base can be unnecessarily heavy. Furthermore, it can sometimes be necessary to deploy other parts, not shown in FIG. 1, to assist a pan base in fulfilling its role to stably support an associated appliance on a support surface.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide an appliance base in a configuration that enhances manufacturing ease. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide an appliance base having a reduced weight relative to known appliance bases. Additionally, the state of the art of appliance bases would be improved by the availability of an appliance base whose manufacture is facilitated by reason of its configuration. Moreover, the state of the art of appliance bases would be improved by the availability of an appliance base that is relatively easy to store including storing during a period in which the appliance base has not yet been assembled with the other components of an appliance and, in particular, in the event that it is desired to intermediately store the appliance base such that it “nest” well with other appliance bases—i.e., stored compactly and stably arranged in a stacked one on top of another arrangement with other appliance bases. Furthermore, the state of the art of appliance bases would be improved by the availability of an appliance base that has dedicated mounting locations formed therein for support of other appliance components.